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yve_ma's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.75
theravenkingx's review against another edition
adventurous
mysterious
slow-paced
4.0
plot: ★★★★☆
Characters: ★★★★
Writing: ★★★★
Reread value: ★★★
This book features the best ending Brandon Sanderson has ever written. I took the most time reading the last 50 pages because every page had me gasping and staring at the wall in shock. To fully grasp the depth of what’s happening, it’s absolutely necessary to read all the preceding Cosmere books, especially Mistborn, Elantris, and Warbreaker.
I enjoyed this book more than Oathbringer, but the issues I had with Oathbringer still persist in this installment of the series.
The major issue with this entire series is the pacing, in my opinion. While I absolutely love the world and characters, they start to lose their endearment in the repetitions and slow movement of their arcs. None of the books in the series needed to be 1,000 pages long. Better editing would have streamlined the plot and potentially made it my all-time favorite series.
This is Venli's and Eshonai's book, and their character development is done well. However, I still didn't care much about the two. The characters that truly stood out to me were Leshwi and Raboniel. Their journeys and personalities were more complex and captivating to read than any other villains in the book. They were perfectly written morally gray characters. For the first time, we saw the struggles of the Fused, their motivations, and their determination regarding the war with humans. Raboniel's cunning and depth, along with Leshwi's honor and resilience, added layers to the story that were both refreshing and engaging.
Navani was at the forefront of this book. I did enjoy her perspective, but it also had me rolling my eyes at times. Navani is a scholar and his arc focus heavily on science. I was fascinated at first, but then it became too convoluted and confusing to follow. I lost interest and started skimming the pages.
Kaladin and Shallan didn't get much development. I was exhausted reading about their mental health issues. I appreciate Brandon Sanderson for focusing on the mental health of his main characters and how respectfully he deals with these issues, but these characters need to be more than their mental health struggles. It's time for these two to get some development and a new story arc, with fresh motivations driving them. From how their story arcs ended, it seems we are heading in the right direction. We will be seeing more stable and poised versions of them.
Despite aforementioned minor issues, I was enthralled by the book. I think it's a perfect book for nerds because of its heavy focus on science and engineering. But if you are like me who doesn't care much about the technicalities, you will still love it as it has plenty of intrigue, action, politics, and mystery involved. This book has the most links to the cosmere. Brandon has expanded this world craftfully, and we finally get to witness his hard work coming together in this book. If I wasn't clear enough before, you must really get caught up with his other books before reading Rhythm of War.
With this book he story has become more complicated because there is no good side. Both the Fused and humans are equally complex and carry their own baggage.
Taravangian is a snake that both repulses and intrigues me. The turn his story arc has taken in this book makes me curious and excited for the next one. I am very interested to know what cunning plan is brewing in his head. I also want to see more of Renarin to learn the full extent of his power.
SSpoiler Alert
I found several aspects that felt too convenient, which diminished the tension and stakes. For instance, the Fused, despite their formidable presence, didn't end up killing any major characters or anyone really. This made the threat they posed feel less impactful. Similarly, Venli's continuous deceit without significant repercussions from the Fused seemed unrealistic, reducing the sense of danger and urgency.
Leshwi's decision to help the humans towards the end also felt abrupt and unearned. It would have been more compelling if there had been a gradual build-up to her change of heart, making her actions more believable and impactful. We knew she was against the war but there was nothing that suggest that she was ready to betray her own people .
Throughout the story, I rarely felt genuinely worried about the characters' fates. There was a sense of predictability that they would come out unscathed, which lowered the stakes and my emotional investment in their journeys. I wish the narrative had taken more risks, putting the characters in situations where their survival wasn't guaranteed. Teft’s death hit me as hard as a feather pillow since we barely got to know him well enough for the impact to land.
Additionally, I was disappointed with Navani bonding with the Sibling. I had hoped that Rlain would be chosen instead, as it would have provided a more satisfying and unexpected twist. Navani's bond felt somewhat forced and less impactful compared to what Rlain's bond could have brought to the story.
However, One of my favorite scenes from the entire series involves Navani. It is the scene where she stabs Raboniel as an act of kindness. It's such a powerful scene and it made me feel things.
I'd like to clarify that my rating is based on how much I enjoyed it. Despite my rant, I did have a positive experience. Hence, the 4-star rating.
Speculations
I speculated that the orb in the box given to Shallan by Mraize was a Seon, and this was confirmed in the book. It turns out Mraize is someone from Elantris.
I believe the 10th world that Brandon is so secretive about is the one where Wit, also known as Cephandrius, could have become a god but chose a different path. I suspect he is hunting for the shards to reform them, aiming either to become the Almighty or to bring back Adonalsium.
Kelsier is Thaidakar. Wit confirms this when he tells Mraize to remind him of the beating he gave him.
Additionally, I think we got a hint about the existence of hemalurgy or something similar through El and her metal horns and carapace.
Oh my gosh! I am so excited for the next book. Everything is coming together so well..
Characters: ★★★★
Writing: ★★★★
Reread value: ★★★
This book features the best ending Brandon Sanderson has ever written. I took the most time reading the last 50 pages because every page had me gasping and staring at the wall in shock. To fully grasp the depth of what’s happening, it’s absolutely necessary to read all the preceding Cosmere books, especially Mistborn, Elantris, and Warbreaker.
I enjoyed this book more than Oathbringer, but the issues I had with Oathbringer still persist in this installment of the series.
The major issue with this entire series is the pacing, in my opinion. While I absolutely love the world and characters, they start to lose their endearment in the repetitions and slow movement of their arcs. None of the books in the series needed to be 1,000 pages long. Better editing would have streamlined the plot and potentially made it my all-time favorite series.
This is Venli's and Eshonai's book, and their character development is done well. However, I still didn't care much about the two. The characters that truly stood out to me were Leshwi and Raboniel. Their journeys and personalities were more complex and captivating to read than any other villains in the book. They were perfectly written morally gray characters. For the first time, we saw the struggles of the Fused, their motivations, and their determination regarding the war with humans. Raboniel's cunning and depth, along with Leshwi's honor and resilience, added layers to the story that were both refreshing and engaging.
Navani was at the forefront of this book. I did enjoy her perspective, but it also had me rolling my eyes at times. Navani is a scholar and his arc focus heavily on science. I was fascinated at first, but then it became too convoluted and confusing to follow. I lost interest and started skimming the pages.
Kaladin and Shallan didn't get much development. I was exhausted reading about their mental health issues. I appreciate Brandon Sanderson for focusing on the mental health of his main characters and how respectfully he deals with these issues, but these characters need to be more than their mental health struggles. It's time for these two to get some development and a new story arc, with fresh motivations driving them. From how their story arcs ended, it seems we are heading in the right direction. We will be seeing more stable and poised versions of them.
Despite aforementioned minor issues, I was enthralled by the book. I think it's a perfect book for nerds because of its heavy focus on science and engineering. But if you are like me who doesn't care much about the technicalities, you will still love it as it has plenty of intrigue, action, politics, and mystery involved. This book has the most links to the cosmere. Brandon has expanded this world craftfully, and we finally get to witness his hard work coming together in this book. If I wasn't clear enough before, you must really get caught up with his other books before reading Rhythm of War.
With this book he story has become more complicated because there is no good side. Both the Fused and humans are equally complex and carry their own baggage.
Taravangian is a snake that both repulses and intrigues me. The turn his story arc has taken in this book makes me curious and excited for the next one. I am very interested to know what cunning plan is brewing in his head. I also want to see more of Renarin to learn the full extent of his power.
SSpoiler Alert
I found several aspects that felt too convenient, which diminished the tension and stakes. For instance, the Fused, despite their formidable presence, didn't end up killing any major characters or anyone really. This made the threat they posed feel less impactful. Similarly, Venli's continuous deceit without significant repercussions from the Fused seemed unrealistic, reducing the sense of danger and urgency.
Leshwi's decision to help the humans towards the end also felt abrupt and unearned. It would have been more compelling if there had been a gradual build-up to her change of heart, making her actions more believable and impactful. We knew she was against the war but there was nothing that suggest that she was ready to betray her own people .
Throughout the story, I rarely felt genuinely worried about the characters' fates. There was a sense of predictability that they would come out unscathed, which lowered the stakes and my emotional investment in their journeys. I wish the narrative had taken more risks, putting the characters in situations where their survival wasn't guaranteed. Teft’s death hit me as hard as a feather pillow since we barely got to know him well enough for the impact to land.
Additionally, I was disappointed with Navani bonding with the Sibling. I had hoped that Rlain would be chosen instead, as it would have provided a more satisfying and unexpected twist. Navani's bond felt somewhat forced and less impactful compared to what Rlain's bond could have brought to the story.
However, One of my favorite scenes from the entire series involves Navani. It is the scene where she stabs Raboniel as an act of kindness. It's such a powerful scene and it made me feel things.
I'd like to clarify that my rating is based on how much I enjoyed it. Despite my rant, I did have a positive experience. Hence, the 4-star rating.
Speculations
I speculated that the orb in the box given to Shallan by Mraize was a Seon, and this was confirmed in the book. It turns out Mraize is someone from Elantris.
I believe the 10th world that Brandon is so secretive about is the one where Wit, also known as Cephandrius, could have become a god but chose a different path. I suspect he is hunting for the shards to reform them, aiming either to become the Almighty or to bring back Adonalsium.
Kelsier is Thaidakar. Wit confirms this when he tells Mraize to remind him of the beating he gave him.
Additionally, I think we got a hint about the existence of hemalurgy or something similar through El and her metal horns and carapace.
Oh my gosh! I am so excited for the next book. Everything is coming together so well..
kara_henry88's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
allanna_'s review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
matt_viner's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
mysterious
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
aurora_coyoteluck's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
theobviousmystery's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
dark
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
mysterious
reflective
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
melaan's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
bewildered_donkey's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
inspiring
mysterious
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0